Smoke in Dreams
by the-ephemeral-prince
Summary: Set after TFBM. Tension appears high between Zuko and Katara now that the Fire Prince has joined the Avatar. Will the two ever become friends...or will this situation stir up some deeper feelings? Reviews appreciated.
1. Prologue

**hey, thanks for at least clicking on this story. this is my first fanfic, so please, i'm sorry for any mistakes or whatever you find. so...this is the prolugue...and i swear the following chapters will actually get into the story. so, i'm assuming you already know that this is a Zutara fic (definitely my favorite pairing). so, i hope you enjoy...oh, and sorry it's short; other chapters will be longer...**

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Prologue

"_...give me one good reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends. Right then and there. Permanently..."_

Zuko frowned and rolled over on his pallet as Katara's venomous words rang through his head. He opened his eyes and turned to stare up at the temple ceiling. But, though ancient carvings covered it, his mind flashed to an all-together different ceiling, one rough-hewn and worn.

The catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se seemed magical, lit up with crystals of brilliant green. Not that Zuko would admit such appreciation. Yet all he saw was the blue. And the whisper of cool hands against rippled flesh compelled Zuko's eyes to close once more.

A Water Tribe girl, so protective of the Avatar, offered his salvation. She glimpsed in him something he tried desperately to bury. Zuko realized he had relied on her healer's nature to soothe the others, to smile at him in forgiveness. But he forgot her darker depths, the storm fueling her violent and powerful bending. He forgot the ice in her veins. Why had he expected her to welcome him when her heart and loyalty belonged to the Avatar?

What could he do to convince her of his sincerity, to chase the shadows from her water-blue eyes? How did one build trust when all he possessed were ashes of betrayed hopes?

"Why do I care about some peasant?" he growled furiously to the night. "I'm here to help the Avatar, not make friends." But, even as Zuko uttered his stubborn words, he knew their insincerity. Strangely, Zuko wanted the Avatar and his friends to accept him. He wanted Katara's eyes to light with trust and understanding. He wanted, for once, to feel the comfort of friendship.

"I've changed," Zuko whispered. "I want to help." _I want to be loved._

As the wind outside began to howl, Zuko drifted to sleep, gentle hands and eyes his last memories before dreams.

* * *

Sometimes, at night, when all as dark and sleeping, Katara took out a small box, invisible to the eye. And there, nestled in the center, lay a heart filled with ice, which beat weakly with its song. Its melody told of hope and dreams, of trust given and lost. And, when the moon reached its highest peak, Katara would hold it close one long moment, before opening her eyes and locking it away to hide it from the sun.

She couldn't afford to trust, to forgive. _Aang_ couldn't afford her to waver. For she kept now the only heart hardened against the hurt of betrayal. First Jet and then... In the dark, Katara shook her head and dried her tears. Though something inside clamored to forgive Zuko, she could not give in. He betrayed them too many times to ever recant. He hurt them too many times to be trusted.

Covered in ice, her heart hardened, but Katara knew ice could shatter only too easily. One wrong step from a trusted friend could break her. So she kept her heart locked in the box, vowing to let no one else in. Trust weakened the heart. So she kept her frozen walls high.

As the sun climbed the sky, Katara hid the box. Because even locked away, it took only a bit of warmth to melt even the strongest barrier.

"I won't trust you," she whispered furiously to the day. "I can't." But, as icy eyes found a familiar face, Katara heard the first crack of the thaw.

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**what do you think? please, please review. i don't care if i get people yelling at me, really. i'll take anything anyone says as constructive criticism. so. please review, please? oh, and thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter One

**so, if you made it this far, thank you. yet again, i hope you like this chapter...this is when my Zutara fic really begins. so, thanks again for reading!**

**disclaimer: i don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender...if i did, i think we'd have new episodes by now...oh and the series would _never_ end.**

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Chapter One

Zuko stared down at the meager helping of food Katara shoved at him. Hardly anything filled the rough-cut bowl and his stomach shrank with every glance towards the other's overflowing plates. Two weeks had passed in the company of the Avatar and his friends and yet one still followed his every move.

At first, Zuko thought the Water Tribe boy—Sokka—represented his greatest challenge. And yet the _girl—_Katara--glared at him while Sokka joked. Aang trusted him, especially after their encounter with the Sun Warriors. And Toph, surprisingly, was his biggest supporter—despite her harsh nature. The others, for the most part, showed only mild interest.

"Wow, Katara! This is great!" Aang exclaimed, a glimmer of admiration in his eye. Zuko watched as Katara blushed. Odd how such a simple action softened her expression far more than anything else.

Over his time with the group, Zuko wondered what lay between the Avatar and his waterbending teacher. But, then, something seemed to simmer between nearly everyone. Haru gazed at Katara longingly. And, though Zuko could not be certain, Toph seemed to keep nearer to the Avatar than any other.

Shaking his head, Zuko walked over to a spot far from the campfire and sat down to eat. Though he hardly got enough, the food was excellent. Katara really could cook.

"Aww...Katara...why didn't you put those mushroom thingies I like in here?"

Katara turned to her brother and frowned. "Because, Sokka. Those mushrooms are dangerous. Besides, don't you remember what happened the last time you ate them?"

"At least it wasn't as bad as the time he had that cactus stuff," Toph muttered.

"Hey! We were in the middle of the desert! It could've been sunstroke."

Katara laughed. "Face it, Sokka. You just can't keep yourself from eating _anything_."

"Speaking of..." Sokka turned to Zuko, a pained look on his face. "Do you want to join us?"

Zuko glanced towards Katara's suddenly dark face and nodded reluctantly. But, as soon as he sat down, Katara walked off, waving over her shoulder.

"I'm going to go and see what I can find in this temple," she told them calmly. "I haven't done much exploring since we've been here."

There was a long, awkward silence after Katara left, as if she took everything comfortable away from them. And then Sokka launched into a story about a giant monster beneath the temple.

"Sokka, there's _nothing_ beneath the temple," Toph said exasperatingly. "I mean, we're hanging from the bottom of a cliff!"

"How do _you _know that?" Sokka shot back. "Hundreds of feet down, there could be some giant, fuzzy monster coming to eat us."

"I don't think Appa is going to eat you," Zuko said softly.

For a moment, no one spoke and then Aang began to laugh. "Appa! That's funny!"

A ghost of a smile pulled at Zuko's lips before it disappeared like smoke. Everything was so _forced_ when Katara was not there. Even Aang and Toph seemed wound a little tightly with Katara gone. What was it that she brought? How was it that the world seemed darker without her?

Placing his empty bowl near the fire, Zuko stood and bid the others goodnight. Night crept across the sky and the warmth of the sun no longer danced across his skin. As a firebender, Zuko much preferred to sleep the night away. Still, something in him grew restless. His mind raced with phantom thoughts. Sleep would elude him, he knew, unless he released some energy.

* * *

He entered a large, circular chamber and withdrew the double swords strapped to his back and removed his shirt. The Avatar had shown him this room a few days ago and Zuko had grown quite fond of it.

Paintings on the walls depicted monks airbending, the movements just a bit different than the ones the Avatar used. Zuko knew Aang came to the room in the mornings, to learn the Western-styled airbending, and he knew the room acted as an air tunnel of sorts. But it also had its uses as a room to practice firebending. The room really was beautiful, the floor a pattern of yellows and oranges. In the center lay a large basin, filled to the brim with spring water, its music echoing in the cavernous chamber.

Zuko stood straight and closed his eyes, breathing deep, readying himself to firebend. Having watched as Aang practiced bending, Zuko thought of a few techniques he would like to use in firebending. One of them was a mirror of Aang's ability to use certain weapons—in this case his glider—as an extension of his airbending. Zuko wondered if he could preform a similar technique with his own swords.

Afatar a moment, he called to the heat and energy within him and began to bend, attempting to allow his flames to roll down the blades of his swords without becoming too hot for the metal. Keeping his eyes closed, he whirled, keeping his flames steady in a manner most unlike usual firebending. Borrowing a move from waterbending, he attempted to make his fire fluid, to move in a ribbon-like pattern.

He felt his flame for a moment but, with his concentration on the temperature, he could not hold a continuous flame. Frowning, he dropped his swords and closed his eyes to begin once again. This time, he concentrated solely on the movements and brought out only enough energy to heat the air around him.

* * *

Katara entered the large room with a frustrated sigh. Why did the others so willingly accept Zuko? And, for that matter, why did Sokka? Katara thought her brother would agree wholeheartedly with her views concerning Zuko. But Sokka, along with the others, continued to act as if Zuko were just another new friend.

At the sound of feet, Katara glanced up and nearly groaned. A very familiar someone stood in front of the center spring, practicing his bending. But, though Katara desperately wanted to leave, something made her stay. Keeping silent, she watched Zuko in the dying light, his limbs moving almost as gracefully as a waterbender's. The air around him rippled with heat and his bare torso glimmered with sweat. Katara's heart began to beat faster with his every movement and yet still she kept silent.

Her eyes followed his movements, fascinated. His bending didn't look like normal firebending. Rather, it almost looked like he added air and water elements to it. He appeared in the middle of a dance, the heat waves warping the air around him. Suddenly, almost as if he knew she stood there, fire burst in ribbons around him, sending shadows to mimic his movements along the tiled floor.

Katara let out a small breath, each one coming faster. She could not understand what so fascinated her yet she stayed there, drawn inexorably. She felt a curious melting somewhere near her heart and she let out a frightened gasp.

--

At the soft sound, Zuko turned, his fire dying. He found Katara standing by the door, her blue eyes wide with something undefinable. Confused, Zuko took a step forward but Katara shook her head and fled, saying nothing.

"Wait!" Zuko called, running after her. But, as he entered the corridor, he found it empty. Katara had disappeared, becoming nothing more than mist and smoke. Disconcerted, Zuko turned back to the chamber and gathered his things. He left a moment later, shaking his head in wonder at Katara's unusual response. _What had gone through her mind?_ he wondered silently as he trudged off to bed.

--

Katara watched from the shadows as Zuko headed towards his room. A hand pressed to her lips in contemplation. _What happened?_ she asked herself. Why had her heart beat so quickly? What had been that feeling as she watched Zuko?

Shaking her head, she put it from her mind. No matter, she needed to keep an eye on him. Katara still would not trust him. After all, he had hurt her—hurt _Aang—_too many times for forgiveness.

* * *

_His dreams filled with smoke and mist, blocking the golden light of the sun. Through the billowing clouds, the land turned silver, as if kissed by the moon herself. And there, just within the reach of the shadows she stood, waiting. Her voice, as cool as a fresh spring, washed over him in a siren's call, bidding he move closer. Zuko took a reluctant step, unused to such an entreaty from her. And then she was gone, a whispering wind swirling her shadowy form into the delicate smoke._

_He raised his hand, a fluttering flame dancing in his palm, and called to her, asking her return. But she never appeared. Only her soft voice remained to taunt him._

"_What trickery _is _this," he demanded, "when only smoke and mist fill my dreams?" _

--

_Her world was golden, lit with flames flickering in the dark. Shadows danced and leapt along the walls, requesting her to join. Yet Katara held back, chained by sorrow and ice. And then he appeared, palm glowing in the night. A single smile broke her from her bonds and Katara cried in joy. But, as she reached out to him, he faded away, nothing but smoke and illusion. _

_Tears fell from her eyes, one by one, and froze as they brushed her skin. She whispered for his return and yet she met nothing but the shimmer of flames and the swirl of smoke. _

"_Why," she demanded, "must this land of smoke and flames haunt my dreams?"_

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**did you like it? i hope so. i also hope you'll review. say you will...please?? **


	3. Chapter Two

**hey! first, before starting off this chapter, i would like to thank each and every person who decided to take a peek at my fic. and i want to doubly thank those that reviewed...and those who added some criticism (it really helped!). **

**okay, so this chapter is a little bit shorter than the first chapter, but i hope you like it despite that fact. **

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Chapter Two

Katara opened her eyes with a groan, protecting the sun streaming down onto her skin. Throwing a slender arm across her eyes, she sat up. Dreams flickered along the edge of her thoughts, teasing her with visions of dancing smoke and fire. Shaking her head at the thought of Zuko dancing, she lowered her toes to the floor.

While summer bloomed outside, her room seemed a bit chill, as if nothing remained to warm her. As she stretched, Katara smiled in relief that Toph—and not Zuko—was teaching Aang. It gave Katara a little bit more time to sleep. Later, perhaps, she would practice waterbending with Aang. Though the young monk certainly did not need any more lessons.

Suddenly, Katara's door opened, revealing a frazzled Sokka. His face, normally quite comical, appeared even more so. "Katara, you've gotta make them stop!" he yelled, waving his hands in the air. "They're going to bring down the whole temple!"

"What do you mean, Sokka?" Katara asked. And then the floor shook. Shooting an alarmed glance towards her brother, she rushed from the room, determined to find out what was happening.

But, as Katara entered the courtyard, she came to a stop before rounding on Sokka. "They're _bending_,Sokka! You do remember what that is, right?"

Sokka shook his head and pointed over her shoulder. "Look!"

Katara turned with a sigh. "What..." Her eyes grew wide at the sight of a flying, heated rock hurtling through the air. Instinctively, she twisted her body, brining a flood of water to knock it down.

Furious, she rounded on the guilty part. Aang, Toph, and Zuko stood suddenly still, as if waiting for her anger. "What is going on here?" she demanded, sharp blue eyes glaring into pools of gold.

"Katara, we were just trying—"

"I don't want to hear it, Aang." She shook her head and tore her gaze from Zuko's repentant face. "I know you're trying to learn different ways to bend, Aang, but you know better than to practice such dangerous tricks around anyone."

Seeing Aang hang his head, Zuko stepped froward. "Listen, it was my idea to—"

Katara whirled, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "I know you don't care, Zuko, but we need to be careful. What if that had hit someone? Or even the temple? Someone could have been hurt." Without another word, Katara turned on her heel and stormed from the courtyard.

"What about breakfast?" Sokka called after her.

"Make it yourselves!" Katara ran, needing to cool down. She could not face anyone at that moment. She just needed a minute to calm herself.

Pausing, Katara heaved a sigh. "I shouldn't have been so harsh with Aang," she whispered. "He was probably just trying to figure out something new." Shaking her head, she smiled softly. "It was sort of clever, actually..."

Zuko watched as Katara disappeared into the temple, tousled dark hair swirling around her shoulders. A frown tugged at his lips and he shook his head. "I don't need her approval," he muttered.

"What was that, Firefly?" Toph asked.

Startled, Zuko turned, trying desperately to make something up on the spot. "Um...I said...'we don't need her to make breakfast.'"

"We don't?" asked Sokka, brightening. "You can cook?"

"No," Zuko answered. "But it can't be too hard, right?"

It was. An hour later and all any of them had to show for their efforts was a pot of burnt water.

"How do you burn water?" Toph asked incredulously. "All you do is heat it up. That's what we've got _you_ for, Firefly."

"Yeah," Sokka voiced, moving suddenly closer to Zuko. "Just use your fire powers to heat up the water and we'll be able to cook some of this rice."

Zuko stiffened. "You want me to warm up the water?" he asked in disbelief. But, as Sokka and the others kept staring at him, he shrugged and acquiesced. The rice cooked after that, though they did not cook it as long as they should have.

"How does Katara do it?" Sokka wondered, shoveling the last helping of rice into his mouth. "I mean, it doesn't _look _hard, but it is."

Zuko nodded, his eyes traveling to the spot Katara disappeared from. He could almost see her in the shadows.

Shaking his head, he finished his rice and rose, determined to find a quiet spot to think. He slipped away from the others, wandering absently through the various courtyards and gardens of the temple. They represented a very ingenious design, really. The architect cleverly built terraces into the underside of the cliff, using the lower structures to support the jutting gardens. Small waterfalls fed pools of clear, cool water and riotous flowers bordered the pathways.

Spotting a willow tree, Zuko entered one of the gardens. As he parted the weeping branches, he found a low stone bench hidden in the shade. Grateful for the secluded spot, he lowered himself onto the bench and began to meditate.

Closing his eyes, Zuko stilled and drew in a deep, cleansing breath. In the few weeks working with the Avatar, Zuko had begun to realize how intrinsic air was to fire. Air fueled a flame as easily as heat, allowing its life and continuation. But water... Zuko expelled the stale air and took in another, allowing his senses to flare out slightly.

Firebending used the warmth around others. If he wished, Zuko could draw the very warmth from someone, leaving them as cold as ice. As the warmth slowly seeped from their veins, they grew tired and lethargic, unable to do anything. If he took too much, they would sink into an eternal sleep. But for such a thing, Zuko needed the full power of the sun, when the moon was dark and the sun rested high in the sky.

He expelled another breath and inhaled once more. This time, however, he paused. At the muffled sound of footsteps, Zuko opened his eyes and peered through the veil of leaves. There, standing among the blooming flowers and soft sunlight, Katara stood quiet and still.

She looked around her once and then raised her slender arms. Ribbons of glimmering water snaked from the pools to slide sinuously about her, greeting the waterbender in an intimate embrace. A small smile tugged impishly at her beckoning lips.

Zuko watched, mesmerized, as Katara began her fluid movements. She moved seemingly without effort, her hands passing gently through the air as the water danced around her. As her focus shifted entirely to her bending, Katara's face appeared more open, even joyous. Her blue eyes sparkled with a fetching light and Zuko felt an overwhelming need to join her. But he stayed, unwilling to break the spell, and watched.

A sudden breeze began to gently stir, twining around the trees and flowers, pulling delicate petals from their seats. They moved in equal tempo towards Katara before swirling playfully about her. The breeze and its companions lifted her hair and skirt, moving them bewitchingly and gracing them with silken splashes of color. Katara's unconscious smile brightened and her movements became wider, as if playing with the wind. Yet always she kept her face towards the sun—though her eyes remained closed—as if to feel its warming touch.

All too soon, Katara opened her eyes, her practice at an end. Slowly, she left the garden, leaving it empty of all but Zuko and the fallen petals. For a moment, Zuko could not move and then he stood, eyes still glued to the spot Katara had stood. The moment seemed to surreal, too ephemeral to be real. Shaking his head, Zuko left the garden behind, Katara's form still lingering in his mind.

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**all right. i would really appreciate any reviews (praise or criticism). they are very much wanted. i need your opinions! so, i hope you liked this chapter and will continue reading. i will try to get my chapters up in a reasonable time span. remember: review!**


	4. Chapter Three

**I really appreciate the reviews I get. And I'd like to thank everyone who submitted one. Especially taffy0823. thanks for your criticism. you've helped me. so, hopefully, i've fixed what you pointed out. **

**all right. I don't own Avatar. really, i don't. but i am in an elaborate plot to kidnap the producers of the show...yeah...all i need is both the money and the facilities to hold them hostage while making them produce more shows (impossible). so, seeing as how i CAN'T kidnap the producers...it seems i'll never own _Avatar: the Last Airbender_. **

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Chapter Three

_An endless maze of black rock surrounded her, the heat of them drying out her very core. Katara sighed in defeat of the labyrinth and slid down against the wall. The stone felt warm, comforting. But Katara felt no water, none of the refreshing coolness of water. _

_She stared ahead of her, eyes playing over the shadows flickering across the opposite wall. But, as she stared, Katara noticed the depth of one particular shadow. Curious, she stood and crossed the tiny corridor, gaze still glued to the shadows. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the darkness and emerged into the sunlight. _

_He stood there, kneeling in a bed of fire lilies. At her approach, he turned, one of the flowers in his hand. _

_Katara cocked her head to the side, smiling faintly. "Are you going to give me a flower?" she asked him. _

_Zuko shook his head and looked down at the flower. "I would never give you a lily like this," he whispered. He rose and moved towards the pond. He knelt for a moment and then again faced Katara. This time, he held an exotically blue water lily. With a smile, he brought it to her. "I would give you this."_

--

Katara woke up and pushed a hand through her heavy fall of hair. Why did she keep having such strange dreams? And why was Zuko suddenly playing starring roles? She shook her head and glanced out the window. Nightfall. Her short nap had been welcome but now she wanted to practice some of her more complicated waterbending...

Rising, she washed her face and fixed her hair, all the while thinking about Aang. Should she teach him these forbidden moves? Or keep them to herself? As she left her room, Katara decided to at least teach him to take water from the air—as a way to tie the two elements together. It might prove useful later on.

Katara approached the too-quiet campfire, careful not to look at Zuko. "Aang, I want to teach you some new waterbending techniques," she said.

At her words, Aang immediately grew troubled. "You're not going to teach me bloodbending, are you, Katara?"

As Katara shook her head, Zuko leaned closer to Toph. "Bloodbending?" he asked in a small voice. "Did I hear that right?"

"Yep!" Sokka said cheerily before Toph could answer. "Katara can manipulate all the blood in your body and make you do whatever she wants. It's pretty cool, actually."

Katara whirled on her brother, furious. "It's not _cool_, Sokka! Bloodbending is a _horrible_ ability, one I wish I had never learned."

"Why?" Sokka countered. "It just means you're the greatest waterbender around." He laughed. "I bet you could even give old Pakku a run for his money."

"Enough, Sokka." Katara frowned, a shiver running through her. "You don't know what it feels like, making someone move against their will. If I pulled too hard..." she trailed off and shook her head. "If I pulled too hard, I could pull the blood from their veins. And that's something I wish I had _never_ found out."

"Anyway," Toph interrupted, slamming a small boulder into Sokka, "what _are_ you teaching Twinkle Toes?"

"I'm a bit curious, too," Aang said. "I didn't know you had learned anything else from Hama."

Katara forced a smile on her face and turned back to Aang. "I'm going to teach you how to pull water from thin air."

"_What_?" Zuko exclaimed. "_Bloodbending_? Pulling water from _air_? This is a joke, right?"

Solemnly, Aang shook his head. "Actually, no. Katara is possibly the best waterbender in the world. She even surpassed Sifu Pakku, considered the best in the Northern Water Tribe."

"Yeah," Sokka supplied, wiping dirt off his clothes. "And since Katara's the only bender in the _Southern_ Water Tribe, that makes her the best."

Blushing at the praise, Katara took hold of Aang and began to drag him off to the gardens. "If anyone wants to watch, they can," she said.

* * *

Katara expelled a long breath and then smiled at Aang. "All you need to do is concentrate on the water you feel," she told him. "There's water everywhere, even in the air." Her smile brightened. "Where do you think rain comes from?"

"The sky," Aang answered unnecessarily.

Katara nodded. "With your connections to both air and water, this should be easy. Now, watch me."

Katara held up a hand and closed her eyes, feeling for the water around her. As the others watched, beads of water began to condense on her fingers before sheathing them thinly. She whipped her hand to the side, sending the water flying. A small breath had five icicles burying themselves into a tree.

"Now," she whispered to Aang through the astonished silence. "You try." As he began to close his eyes, she held up her hand again, palm outward. "But don't do anything yet. Just feel."

For the next hour, Katara took Aang through the steps of producing water from air. Towards the end, he was actually able to gather a few droplets...before using those droplets for some new game. Katara opened her mouth to chastise him but paused, noting the moon's position in the sky.

"All right, Aang. That's enough for tonight. We'll try again tomorrow."

Aang nodded readily and rushed off. The others followed less enthusiastically. Zuko watched Katara for a moment, still a bit dazed by her display. And then he turned, ready for bed.

"Zuko...wait."

Zuko looked back, his face passive. Katara bit her lip nervously. "What is it?" he asked softly.

"Umm...What do you know about flowers?" she asked, turning to face the pond.

"Flowers?" Zuko frowned, confused. What was this about?

"Yes. Flowers. Lilies, especially. Water lillies."

"Oh." Zuko sat down on a nearby bench. "I don't know much," he admitted. "But I do remember..." he trailed off, shaking his head.

Katara looked at him. "You remember...?" she prompted.

Zuko's eyes flickered away. "I remember my mother used to have them in her garden," he answered. "They were so beautiful, especially the blue ones."

"Blue ones?" Katara asked, her heart beginning to race.

"Yeah. I used to think it was silly of her, but now..."

Katara's heart contracted suddenly. Shaking her head, she walked past him. "Oh," she said, before disappearing into the temple.

Zuko stared after her, confused. Katara certainly know how to act mysteriously. "Why was she asking about flowers?" he asked, eyes traveling to the moon. "What does it mean?"

* * *

Aagn watched from the shadows as Katara and Zuko talked. There was something there, something that made Aang...angry. When Katara left, Aang left, too, heading back to his room. He _really_ liked Katara. But what was going on?

As he walked past Toph's room, A hand touched his arm. Aang looked at the earthbender. "What is it?" he asked. "I'm kinda tired, Toph."

Toph threw her hands into the air and moved off. "All right, Twinkle Toes," she said gently, despite her annoyance. "But I'm here if you want to get something off your chest." The blind bender turned and disappered into her room, leaving Aang to his troubled thoughts.

* * *

Out in the garden, Zuko rubbed at his arms, mind flashing to the earlier conversation. _"You don't know what it feels like, making someone move against their will...If I pulled too hard, I could pull the blood from their veins..."_

Before, when he fought with Katara, Zuko had always felt she was strong. He just hadn't realized how strong she was in comparison to other waterbenders. If he thought about it, Katara was like his sister in that respect: a prodigy. Yet Katara did not want to use such tremendous power against anyone. _"...that's something I wish I had _never_ found out..."_

What made Katara so compassionate? Her healing? Her compassionate nature had brought her so close to him in the caves beneath Ba Sing Se. She looked at him with compassion, trust. Later, she hated him with so much ferocity. And now...

Zuko sank back down onto the bench. Now, he didn't know what to think.

* * *

**i'd like to thank, once again, those who reviewed. let's see...whennerdscollide, celya, Maskedgoddess, lovedreamergrl, Shi Sendo, Akriloth Warrior, solareclipse, Dragon Jadefire, and (of course) taffy0823.**

**oh, and thanks to all who have read and favorited this story. it's much appreciated, too! well, please review!**


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